Perry Watch: Rick Perry breaks into the top 50 list of longest-serving governors in U.S. history

Perry is snagging the No. 50 spot on the list of longest-serving governors in the country’s history. As of Friday, the third-term Texas governor hit 3,845 days in office – or 10 years, six months and 11 days. That ousted former No. 50-holder Gov. John Love, R-Colo.

Perry is the first Lone State governor elected to more than two four-year terms. His predecessor George W. Bush was elected twice in a row, but resigned to run the country. The next closest is Republican Bill Clements, but his two four-year terms were nonconsecutive, in 1979 and again in 1987. Clements, who died recently, held the previous Texas record of 2,919 days in office.

Before the 1970s, Texas governor terms were two years, not four. Among the other long-serving Texas governors: Dolph Briscoe (the Democratic record-holder, who won both two- and four-year terms), John Connally and Allan Shivers.

If Perry does stay until the January 2015 end of his term, he will jump to the No. 12 spot nationally with 5, 144 days.

Then again, he may plan to pull a Bush and resign early to move to that big house on the banks of the Potomac.